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Saturday, October 16, 2010

AquaMemories: Dan Hunter

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Here's a pic of F.O.A.M.er Dan Hunter, circa 1975, enjoying a particularly splendiferous day of playing with his collection of Megos.

And what a collection it is! You've got about about a dozen of them there, plus some other dolls--er, action figures--who are in on the fun. They are surrounding the Planet of the Apes Fortress Playset, where astronauts Virdon and Burke undoubtedly await vivisection.

As if that wasn't bad enough, some of World's Greatest Super-Heroes are simply hanging out (like Aquaman at the bottom left, having a confab with Dracula), not even bothering to help. Truly a madhouse.

I love this pic--if you have one like it (with some Aqua-content, however small), please send it in!

Thanks Dan!


3 comments:

Aaron said...

Drac and Aquaman really look like they're having a heart to heart there, possibly about what the phrase "blood is thicker than water" could possibly mean, or what a shark-vampire would be like.

Wings1295 said...

Hah! Love the pic, and that is one hell of a collection. Does he still have them all? :)

Dan said...

You're welcome, Rob!

This was Christmas morning '75. I looked at the original photo - which is smaller but more clear...and there's actually 23 Megos in the shot. Some are hard to see but there's a Zira and Cornelius to the left of the Falcon, a Scottie and Green Arrow in the middle of the fortress, Ursus at the top, a Spock in my hands, Superman on the arm of the rocking chair...

This was my favorite Christmas of all time. I got every piece of ape merchandise imaginable including coloring and activity books, Multiple Toymaker miniature sets, bendies and Dr. Zaius and Cornelius on parachutes.

I had assembled the WGSH collection from the previous year or two. My dad would bribe me to go grocery shopping with him every Saturday by buying me one Mego a week. Aquaman, Supes and Shazam (no kid called him Captain Marvel) were my most cherished.

I wish I still had the originals but I did manage to re-buy everything again (and then some) in 2001-2002. They weren't 2-3 bucks each anymore but it was worth it. :-)